Customs Information

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Government of Algeria Customs Information

The Government of Algeria has produced the following brochure (PDF 792 KB) regarding import and export rules.

Below is an unofficial translation 

The People`s Democratic Republic of Algeria
The Ministry of Finance
Customs Head Office

The Algerian Customs inform travelers coming to/ departing from Algeria

This flyer applies to you. 

Customs informs you about your rights and the procedures to follow so you do not violate regulations. 

You’re arriving in Algeria 

You can import:  

Via Franchise:  Import items and articles free of duties and taxes without a statement and without administrative procedures if your items and articles intended for personal or family use.  These items are:

  • A value which doesn’t exceed fifty thousand dinar (50,000 dzd).
  • If the value of goods exceeds fifty thousand but is less than one hundred thousand dinar (100 000 dzd), goods are subject to a flat–rate tax and the list and rates are posted in customs offices.
  • The description and the quantity should not be of a commercial nature.
  • The goods cannot be subject to international protections or otherwise prohibited (see below). 

Items requiring declaration:

  • Foreign currencies.  (Note the payment methods that will be used in Algeria.)
  • Personal jewelry, gold, platinum or silver in which the weight doesn’t exceed the total of 100g.
  • Other valuable items. 

NB: Upon arrival into Algiers, visit the Customs desk to declare currencies and valuable items.  Algerian Customs services control the import and export of currencies to counter money laundering from illicit funds, and drug trafficking. 

Don’t forget to declare your foreign currency. 

Allowances:

Tobacco
Cigarettes:  200
or Cigarillos: 100
or Cigars:  50
or 1 variety of 250 g of tobacco 

Alcohol:
2 liters of wine
or 1 liter of spirituous beverages 

Perfumes:
50 g of perfume
or ¼ liter eau de toilette 

Exclusions:

The items listed below are excluded for the benefits of the flat-rate tax when their number and quantity exceed the reasonable needs of a traveler:

  • Clothing and fashion accessories
  • Cosmetics
  • Costume jewelry
  • Combs, hairclips and other similar items.
  • Camera film
  • Magnetic audio-visual tapes
  • Carpets
  • Food products for humans and animals
  • Fresh, dried or canned fruits
  • Floor tiles and slabs 

Prohibited goods:

  • Drugs
  • Weapons, war ammunition and similar materials
  • Used spare parts (limited to 1 set)
  • Counterfeit goods
  • Used motorcycles and bicycles
  • Used home appliances
  • Used furniture
  • Any object related to morality
  • The importation and export of Algerian dinars
  • Frippery
  • Non-accompanied luggage
  • Other goods without a specific legal authorization 

Goods with particular Procedures:

  • Books (Authorization from the Ministry of Culture)
  • Sanitary, phytosanitary and veterinary  (Authorization from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health)
  • Police radio (Authorization from the Ministry of Telecommunication)
  • Writing/scripts, movies, tapes, recording tapes (Authorization from the Ministry of Culture)
  • Other sensitive materials

Protected goods by international conventions:

  • Animals facing the threat of extinction
  • Plants, protected fauna and flora
  • Classified art work and archaeology 

Pleasure boats and Jet Skis:

They can be imported for tourism for a duration of three (3) months under a bond note template A1 published by the Custom entry office.  The submission of the deposit guarantee is mandatory.

Warning 

Custom services can put declared articles in storage if:

  • The authorized franchise has exceeded the limit and you don’t have cash to pay customs duty and taxes
  • The required administrative authorization is not available
  • The flat-rate tax has exceeded its limit
  • Goods reflect a commercial character

A deposit report will be given to you in order to allow you to fix the situation within a deadline of four (4) months.

Exceeding the deadline?

The items and articles are automatically retained indefinitely for the public treasury. 

You’re leaving Algeria

You can export your personal items and articles limited to your normal needs for your travel without any customs procedures.

  • Travelers nonresident must show to the customs check point, the statement of the foreign currency and valuable items which were carried at the entry including the rest of the taken foreign currency. 

  Residents must show to the customs check point:

Attestation of the withdrawal of foreign currency.

The methods of payment, legally announced not exceeding7600 euros with a supporting attestation of the withdrawal
of foreign currency.

Valuable items. 

For additional information:

Customs Head Office
19 rue docteur Saadane, Alger
Tel 021 72 59 59/ 60 00
www.douane.gov.dz

 

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